Beyond meat: Americans preoccupied with protein
BY MICHAEL HILL Associated Press
Amanda Perry mixes a protein shake for lunch at her home in Tyngsborough, Mass. Perry, blends a vegan protein powder with almond milk, natural peanut butter, ice and a banana. A surge in protein as both a nutrient and a marketing element has been added to
Carbs? Calories? Fat? They are so very last decade. Dieters and would-be healthy eaters know the nutrient of the moment being tallied, sought and bought is protein.
Spurred by trainers, diet gurus and weight-loss plans, Americans are seeking more— and more unique — sources of protein, from almonds ground into milk and soy reshaped as pasta, to peas and whey turned into powders and shakes. And food producers are happy to oblige.
Powders and energy bars packed with 20, 30 or even more grams of protein per serving are selling briskly. Supermarket shelves once crowded with foods boasting of being high in fiber or low in fat now are jammed with claims of protein content. Yet this is happening even as Americans eat less meat, the go-to source of protein for generations.
“People are getting smarter about foods in general,” said Phil Lempert, a food marketing expert known as The Supermarket Guru. He sees higher meat prices driving people to other sources of protein, a movement that has becoming more pronounced this year.
“Longer term, I think you’re going to see people starting to look at more vegetables and different combinations to create proteins like rice and beans.”
Amanda Perry — an on-the-go mom with two jobs and a 1-year-old — is a good example. She counts on lots of protein to keep her feeling full and full of energy. But she needs it to be portable, so she often mixes protein powder with almond milk, maybe a banana and some peanut butter.
“It’s easily portable, which I think is awesome for busy people because you’re on the run,” said Perry, a 31-year-old personal trainer who owns a gym in Chelmsford, Mass., with her husband. “You can’t really take a chicken breast or a piece of steak with you if you’re going to be out for several hours.”